Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)

I am pleased to have an opportunity to set out the current position in respect of oncology services in the southern area and to respond to the issues raised by the Deputies. I do not intend to defend or to attempt to defend the provision of inappropriate care for cancer patients, who are entitled to quality cancer care regardless of whether they live in the southern region of the HSE or elsewhere. The Tánaiste shares the Government's objective of continuing to invest in the development of cancer services. I intend to set out details of the significant investment in such services in the southern region. It is important to stress to the House that the issues raised by Deputies Boyle, Deenihan, Allen, Kelleher and Lynch relate to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. This is fully consistent with the legislation, which was approved by the Oireachtas.

It is important that the House is made aware of the full picture, in fairness to the service providers, those working with cancer patients and cancer patients themselves. The initiatives to which I will refer reflect significant work by health service employees who are fully committed to the provision of good and effective cancer care. The HSE issued a statement yesterday summarising such developments. I emphasise that all the issues outlined are being addressed within the region through the appropriate management and governance structures which have been established and are acceptable to management and clinical staff. Since the implementation of the national cancer strategy in 1997, approximately €80 million cumulative additional funding has been made available to the southern region with an additional 11 consultants and 44 clinical nurse specialists being appointed across the region.

The Department has been advised by the HSE that approval was granted two weeks ago to proceed to the next phase of development for the €47 million oncology, cardiac and renal unit which includes a dedicated 30-bed oncology ward. The advertisements have been placed in the EU Journal for builders to apply for inclusion on a list of those to be invited to tender for the construction of the new unit and it is planned to commence construction in mid-2006. Arrangements are also being made at present to establish a ten-bed medical oncology ward within Cork University Hospital.

A range of oncology services are provided at hospitals in counties Cork and Kerry. The consultant appointments in the oncology area since 1997 include two consultant medical oncologists with sessional commitments to CUH, the South Infirmary Victoria Hospital and the Mercy University Hospital, one filled on a locum basis pending the permanent filling of same; one additional consultant radiation oncologist and a second post re-advertised; two consultant surgeons with a special interest in breast disease, one at CUH and one at the South Infirmary Victoria Hospital; one consultant radiologist with a special interest in breast imaging at CUH; three consultant histopathologists, two at CUH and one at the Mercy University Hospital; and one consultant haematologist at CUH-Mercy University Hospital-Kerry General Hospital.

This year alone, the following posts have been approved for the HSE southern area and are in the process of being filled: one consultant surgeon with a special interest in colorectal surgery; one consultant plastic surgeon with a special interest in breast reconstruction; one consultant respiratory physician; one consultant in palliative care; and one consultant paediatric haematologist. This investment in Cork University Hospital has resulted in the following treatments in the first ten months of this year: more than 16,000 radiotherapy treatments; more than 3,300 day and inpatient haematology cases treated; and more than 4,000 day and inpatient oncology cases treated.

Affirmation of the quality of cancer care at CUH was evidenced by the fact that the hospital was named earlier this year as Ireland's first and only designated centre in integrated oncology and palliative care. CUH is one of only eight centres in Europe chosen to receive this designation from the European Society for Medical Oncology for the excellence of its supportive treatment for cancer patients.

In Kerry General Hospital, activity figures for the first ten months of this year include almost 2,500 chemotherapy day cases treated; 1,700 breast care OPD clinics with access to mammography, ultrasound and other diagnostic facilities; and more than 700 gynaecology-colposcopy day cases treated.

In 2004, approval was granted for €3 million full year funding and additional staff to expand radiation oncology capacity at CUH. I understand that the third linear accelerator commenced treatment in March 2005 and the fourth commenced treatment in October. Twenty-nine additional staff have been recruited for this service, including a third consultant radiation oncologist. A fourth consultant radiation oncologist post for this unit has been advertised.

The expansion of radiation oncology services under the national plan announced by the Tánaiste last July will increase the number of linear accelerators from four to seven and will greatly improve access for cancer patients throughout the southern region to radiotherapy treatment. I am also aware that an order has been signed for a picture archiving communications system which will assist inpatient services communications in CUH.

Planning is under way for the development of the necessary infrastructure for the national roll-out of the BreastCheck programme. BreastCheck recently advertised for key lead consultant radiologists and radiographers for the programme and the recruitment of other key clinical posts will commence early in 2006. BreastCheck is confident that the roll-out of the programme will commence in 2007. When the programme is rolled out, mobile units will be available to screen eligible women in the 50 to 64 age group throughout the southern area. This investment will ensure that screening and follow-up treatment is available to approximately 72,000 women throughout the southern region, including approximately 34,000 women in County Cork.

The HSE southern area is developing a regional hospital group comprising all acute hospitals in the area to ensure the delivery of a unified service. The new network structure will give acute hospitals the opportunity to work together to provide the best possible cancer services for the communities they serve. It is my understanding that a meeting has been arranged between the HSE and Professor Paul Redmond, director of cancer services in the southern area, to discuss the further development of cancer services.

The House will appreciate that the developments I outlined are as a result of good planning within the hospitals in the region and are based significantly on the efforts of the regional cancer director. He has used his office to progress these developments in the interests of cancer patients.

The Tánaiste has made an allocation in the 2006 Estimates of an additional €9 million to the HSE to continue to meet the additional service pressures in cancer care, improve the quality of care, facilitate better access to radiation oncology services and continue the preparation for a national cervical screening programme. The Government remains committed to making the full range of cancer services available and accessible to cancer patients throughout Ireland in accordance with best international standards. We believe it is important to build teams of highly expert clinicians working together to deliver top quality cancer care to patients. To this end, we will continue to provide considerable investment in oncology services in the coming years.

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